One Powerful Word
by lovinreading1452
Summary: Cammie Morgan is a spy in training with the dangers of the COC always around the corner. Will she run away, with a person she can't decide if she even trusts, so that she can keep her loved ones safe? My version of GG5. Read and Review Please!
1. Chapter 1

**This is my first story, so sorry if it is really bad. It is a continuation of the Gallagher Girls series, my version of GG5, so i may not explain all the details leading up to the story because that would take an entire chapter. Please read and Review. Hope you like it!**

**I obviously do not own anything. It all belongs to Ally Carter!**

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><p>Trust. One word. One powerful word. And that one powerful word is what has me sitting here in the window staring out onto acres and acres of land. Contemplating my trust in people. Which frankly isn't something I want to have worry about, but I do.<p>

Don't get me wrong, I trust my best friends and my mom completely. My trust in them has never been stronger. So no, it's not them I am worried about. It's one person…

One hot, strong, green eyed, arrogant, smirking guy. He hadn't left my mind since the day we met.

But could I trust him?

I sighed as I heard the door to my dorm room open. My roommates were coming back from dinner. They knew I had needed some time to think and didn't press me for details, but I could see the worry in their eyes. I got up from the window sill and went and sat on my bed, facing them.

"Hey Cammie." they all said simultaneously. That was me; Cammie Morgan. Well officially it was Cameron Morgan, but Cammie, Cam, Chameleon and sometimes, in rare cases, Gallagher Girl works too.

"How was dinner?" I asked.

"Oh you know, Tina trying to confirm ridiculous rumors, Grant stuffing his face, and Liz strengthening the security on her laptop." Bex said and collapsed on her bed.

I laughed, "so the usual?"

Bex rolled her eyes in agreement and went to change into her pajamas. I looked at my three best friends in the whole world. Bex Baxter, Liz Sutton, and Macey McHenry. Macey was the newest to our powwow, but definitely not the weakest by any means. She was moving up grade levels faster than anyone I had ever seen. Liz was the southern beauty with all the brains. She is a vault of information and the master of hacking. And then there was Bex, who is, as Grant puts it, the British Bombshell. She is the strongest girl I have ever met and has been my friend since the beginning.

But they weren't just my friends, they were my sisters. Which means they were going to hate me even more for what I was about to do to them. But I trust them with my life. I sighed deeply and laid my head down on the pillow. There was that word again! Trust.

I feel like I should be holding a flower and pulling the petals off one at a time… I trust him…. I don't trust him… I trust him…

I heard footsteps cross the room and then felt the edge of my bed sink under someone's weight. I looked over and say Macey looking at me intently. She raised her eyebrow and pursed her lips.

"Come on Cam. Tell us what's going on. We may have let it go during dinner, but you have been sitting over here sighing every minute. Something is up." she said.

I looked over and saw Liz and Bex sitting on their beds giving me knowing looks. I looked back at Macey.

"Well the sky is up." I said and smiled slightly.

"That isn't going to work on me. You are going to have tell us, but you can decide if it's the easy way or the hard, more painful way." Mace said in an irritated tone.

I looked over at Bex and Liz again and saw Bex with a roll of duck tape and Liz with a small device in her hands. I sighed and sat up.

"The truth is…..Well I just I can't decide whether to take P&E in the morning or afternoon next year. I mean in the morning its cooler but I would still be sleepy, and then I would be full of energy after lunch but it would be warmer and sweatier in the afternoon." I said sarcastically.

My friends groaned and Macey rolled her eyes.

"Yeah right. Let's pretend that's what has you worried, while we discuss what really has you all frazzled. It's obviously about _him_." she said with a knowing smile. "What did he do this time?"

I frowned and closed my eyes. "Is it really that obvious?" Macey nodded and it was my turn to groan. "I suck at being a spy."

Oh that's right. Did I forget to tell you that little detail? I am, in fact, a spy. Well a spy in training, but same difference. Well sort of…. anyways, I attend Gallagher Academy for Exceptional Young Women or in other words, spies. This is where my training takes place. People call me the Chameleon because I am a good pavement artist, it's my codename actually, but at the moment I was feeling very un-chameleon like. All eyes were on me, awaiting an answer.

"You don't suck at being a spy. We are your best friends, sisters, we can read you like an open book. An open book that can't stop thinking about a certain someone." Bex said in a sing song voice.

I threw my pillow at her, but she dodged it and smiled at me. "Stop stalling and tell us already!" she yelled, throwing the pillow back.

I caught it and put it behind my back. "Fine. I'll tell you. I have been worrying about whether or not I can trust him. I mean he is here and there and always mysterious. He is arrogant and cocky and he has that super annoying smirk and…I just…just…... Ugh!" I fell back on pillow and closed my eyes. There I had told them, well I had told them half of the truth, but they didn't need to know the specifics.

"You just love him."

I opened my eyes wide and saw my friends grinning at me.

"Do not!" I demanded.

"Oh you do! I know you do! I can see it when you talk about him. And if you haven't figured that out by now, we are going to have to do some serious shock therapy or something."

I heard Liz mumble something about having the perfect device for that and I looked at the three of them.

"I don't need shock therapy, I just don't like admitting it out loud, how he makes me feel because I don't know if I can really trust him." I said looking at my hands.

"Well, he is sleeping within Gallagher walls. I think we can trust him." Liz said calmly.

She was always looking out for people, always finding the good side of things. And that part about him sleeping within our walls… well his spy school, Blackthorne Institute, was doing an exchange at our school. With him were his two best friends, Grant and Jonas, and the rest of his classmates. They were living in the eastern wing and going to classes with us. Grant was Bex's crush and, I had a feeling, soon to be boyfriend. They had a weird love - hate relationship. Grant was always running his mouth or saying stupid things to make Bex smack him, but in the end they really did like each other. He was the Greek God to her British Bombshell, as they like to put it. Then there was Jonas, Liz's crush. Those two had such puppy, nerd love. Jonas was perfect for Liz though, he was the only person I would ever even consider being able to out hack Liz. Even though I don't think he actually can.

"Thanks Liz," I smiled at her. "We should go to bed guys. We have classes bright and early tomorrow."

"Fine, but we are continuing this discussion tomorrow." we all got ready to go to bed and Bex turned the lights off. I laid there for a few moments before talking into the dark silence.

"Goodnight guys." I whispered, sure no one was already asleep.

"Night." I heard all three whisper back. I snuggled in and thought about everything. I thought about my mom, she was the headmistress here at school, I thought about my friends, I thought about my dad, who went MIA years ago on a mission, and finally I thought about _him_ and what he asked me two days ago. I never denied liking him, well at least to myself; I knew I liked him a lot, maybe even loved him. I just didn't know if he liked me quite as much as I liked him. We had shared a few stolen kisses here and there, but did they mean as much to him as they did to me? Or was he just playing with me, teasing me?

I got up out of bed and made my way into the hallway. I wandered around the school taking in everything. Gilly's sword at the end of the hallway, the tapestries and paintings, and I was just about to sneak into my favorite secret passageway when I smacked into something hard. I was about to fall over when strong hands caught my arms and pulled me close, stopping me from falling. I looked up and saw those emerald green eyes, that smirk, those strong arms… it was _him_.

It was Zachary Goode.


	2. Chapter 2

I looked into his eyes and tried to take an automatic step backwards, but he tightened his grip and pulled me closer.

"Hey Gallagher Girl." he smirked.

"What are you doing here, Zach?" I asked him, annoyed.

"I live here too you know. I can wander the halls just the same as you. In fact, I was just about to disappear into my favorite passageway." he said, that smirk never leaving his face.

I took a step back and he let me this time. I crossed my arms and glared at him, trying to not get lost in his gorgeous eyes. He knew this was my favorite passageway. He had to have been coming to meet me.

We need to talk." I said and grabbed his hand, pulling him into the passageway with me. It was a dark, small tunnel, with a window at the end overlooking the sports fields. I liked to come here to think. It was quiet and few people knew about it. My roommates don't even know it's here.

I slid down the curved wall and onto the ground and Zach sat across from me with a serious look on his face but he didn't say anything. Moon light streamed into the small space.

"I know I said I wouldn't run away with you this summer, and I didn't. I decided that if I was going to run away it had to be during the school year because that would delay or stop anyone from chasing after me because they will be busy and concerned for the safety of the rest of the students.

But I have a feeling you already knew that. So I have been thinking and I have decided that I leaving soon, I don't know exact details but I am. And I know that no matter what you will follow me, so I am going to make it easier on you." I paused to see if he would say anything.

He didn't of course so I continued.

"I will run away with you Zach. We will get answers together, that is if you still want to." I said softly looking at my hands.

There was a long silence. I could feel him watching me intently. I was unsure if he still wanted to leave and I had risked a lot by telling him my plans. If he decided not to join me he would know that I had left and would warn the others before I could actually make it passed Roseville.

I finally looked up and met his eyes. He had moved much closer to me and his face was inches from mine. We stared into each other's eyes for a few more moments before he raised his hand and gently brushed a stray lock of my hair behind my ear. Then he cupped my face with that same hand. This was side of Zach that was rarely seen. Gentle and sweet.

"Of course I will leave with you. I will go anywhere you go. You are my life now, I must protect you, keep you safe from all harm.

And you are right, I would have followed you." he whispered, looking intently into my eyes.

Then he leaned down and pressed his lips to mine softly. I kissed him back passionately and he deepened the kiss. It felt like hours had passed when he finally pulled away.

I sighed as he looped his arms around my waist and pulled me close resting my head on his chest.

We sat in comfortable silence for awhile before I looked up at him.

"The COC didn't do anything over the summer. I sat in peace here at the mansion doing absolutely nothing and they never bothered me. Not a single threat or attempt at capturing me, nothing."

Zach looked down at me his expression unreadable.

"They must be planning something big." I whispered into the dark.

Zach ran his fingers through my hair reassuringly.

"You have nothing to worry about, I will keep you safe, trust me." he said.

I wrapped my own arms around him and pulled myself closer, breathing in his clean laundry smell.

"I do trust you Zach." I said strongly, sure of it now. I knew it, I could feel it. "I'd trust you with my life."

"Well let's hope it doesn't come to that." he said calmly.

This was a side of Zach that was rare to be seen. I had a feeling I was the only person he had ever opened up to even a little. This was as vulnerable and sweet as I'd ever seen him and I knew it wouldn't last long so I stayed quiet and hugged him tighter. Soon my eyes closed and I could feel myself slipping into a deep sleep. The last thing I felt was Zach pull me even closer, if it was possible, and rest his head against mine and sigh, content.


	3. Chapter 3

**THANKS SO MUCH FOR REVIEWING! HERE IS THE NEXT CHAPTER! SORRY IT TOOK SO LONG TO UPDATE! I HAVE BEEN INCREDIBLY BUSY LATELY, BUT HERE IT IS! HOPE YOU LIKE IT!**

The sun streaming in from the window woke me up and I immediately knew I was in trouble. Even if my mom didn't know yet, my roommates were going to wake up and be worried if I wasn't there. My internal clock told me it was around five forty five, so I had thirty minutes to make it back, and look like I had been asleep in my bed all night, before the alarm went off. Plus any extra time would valuable in case one of the girls wakes up early.

I looked at Zach's sleeping form and smiled. He was so cute with his hair flopped over his eyes like that. I sighed and gently unwound his arms from around my waist, sitting up. My mind was racing

We needed a plan. I was hoping Zach had one, but I didn't want to wake him yet.

We would need disguises and equipment. Not to mention passports and supplies. This was going to be a challenge. I could get equipment from Liz and disguises from CoveOps and...

"Gallagher girl." Zach said sitting up next to me and stretching. "How long have you been up?"

"Not long, just thinking." I said.

"What about?" he asked.

"Everything." I answered. "We need a plan. How are we going to get out of here? And we are going to gone a while I assume, but we have to travel light."

"Relax. I've got it all figured out." he said smirking.

"Oh really? Care to explain the plan?"

"Nope. Gotta keep you guessing. But I will say that you are in charge of commandeering equipment. Leave everything else to me." He told me, still smirking.

I laughed, "Commandeer? I don't think taking Liz's things for our own selfish use can be classified as commandeering."

"It is we forge a badge that says we are authority officials." He said.

I giggled, "Come on let's go. I need to be in my room before the girls wake up."

I starting pushing and pulling bricks to open the passageway, when Zach grabbed me by the waist, pulled me down in the corner and held a finger to his mouth, telling me be quiet and listen.

I did what I was told and heard someone running outside the tunnel. Another person followed this one lighter than the first. Three more people came after. Something was going on. Where would they be running to this early in the morning? The only other thing in this corridor was…..

"The infirmary." I whispered, realization dawning on me. Zach looked at me as he figured it out too.

"Solomon." He said before standing up and finishing the brick puzzle.

"Something has happened. We need to go." I said as we slipped out and into the hallway. I followed Zach to the infirmary. We stopped outside the door and stayed quiet.

"How's he doing?" I heard my mom ask.

"Well, very well." A nurse said before walking toward the door we were currently on the other side of.

Zach opened the door before she got to it to avoid suspicion and we walked in. My mother didn't look surprised but her face was blank, hiding her expression.

"Why are you here?" she asked.

"I heard running and came to investigate. I met Zach in the hall." I said. It technically was half true, so she had to believe me.

"You two are on different floors, how could you both have heard the same thing?" She questioned me, clearly seeing through the lie a little.

"Well I was already up, going to get an early breakfast." I heard Zach say from behind me.

"In your pajamas?" My mom raised one eyebrow. Ya, she suspected something. Not many people walk around the building in their pajamas.

"Rachel, leave them alone." A scratchy voice said softly. I looked around the corner and there was Joe Solomon, his eyes open. Sure he had tubes and wires in every visible place, but he was awake. Very much awake. I couldn't hide the surprise on my face.

"Ms. Morgan, could you hand me that glass of water."

I walked closer to the bed and handed him the glass. He took it firmly and drank. I saw Zach follow me around the corner and smile when he saw Mr. Solomon. I don't know how strong it is but I always knew they had some sort of connection. I could tell Zach was happy and relieved Mr. Solomon was better and awake.

"You two look like you just discovered fire. Yes, I am awake, can we move on from that? I am perfectly fine." he said hiding all pain if there was any.

Although he was not perfectly fine, we let it go and immediately composed ourselves. I looked around the room absorbing the details like a good spy would.

Several teachers were standing around, talking to nurses and filling in Mr. Solomon with the latest events, nurses were checking monitors and adjusting tubes. My mom was questioning one nurse about Mr. Solomon's health. Questions like, "When can he be taken off IV?" or "When will he be able to walk again?"

Zach was standing off to the side, his face blank, but I knew he was smiling on the inside. Mr. Solomon was an important male figure in his life, sort of like a role model, and I could feel Zach's relief radiating through the room.

I was standing next to Solomon's bed. I took the water from him and set on the bedside table.

"Could everyone leave the room for a few minutes? I need to speak with Ms. Morgan and Mr. Goode privately." Solomon said looking at me. Anyone who knew what had happened last semester could have guessed what he wanted to talk about. Everyone filed out of the room but Mr. Solomon waited a few moments before speaking.

"I'm glad you're well and safe guys, but I must know what is going on with the COC. No one will tell me because they think it'll stress me out and slow recovery. I'm fine and I have to know." he said.

Zach took a deep breath. "They haven't attacked or made contact at all since last semester sir."

"Which means they are planning something." Solomon sighed. "What are you doing about it?"

"Well, we don't have a complete idea or plan yet. Just bits and pieces. We want answers." I said, trying not to completely lie, he was too good for that and would see right through it.

"So you are running away." Solomon said sternly. Zach and I both sighed in defeat. How did he know that so fast? I was trying not to give away too many hints.

"This is very dangerous and I don't encourage it, but I won't tell anyone. Please be safe and remember everything you have been taught. This is the real deal, not something to mess around with, no second chances." Mr. Solomon said seriously.

"That is understood, sir. We are going to be careful." Zach said.

"Ms. Morgan, could I speak to Mr. Goode alone." Solomon asked. I nodded and made my way to the door. I went into the hallway but only to take a secret passageway back towards the infirmary. There was a vent inside connecting two rooms.

"Zach, promise me you will keep Cammie safe and return her here alive."

"Solomon I promise I will keep Cammie safe and I will return her and we will have answers." Zach said strongly.

"You need to realize the answers you guys might find may be disappointing and not want you wanted. Now have you read the journal?"

Zach nodded.

"Okay so you know where to go and what to find and how. If you need me I'll be here, of course. Damn nurses won't let me leave." he muttered.

I could tell the conversation was ending so I went back to the hallway and slumped down against the wall like I had been there the whole time. And sure enough Zach appeared thirty seconds later and smiled when he saw me.

"Come on, we have five minutes before your alarm goes off." He said taking my hand. We walked quickly to my room in silence, but the whole time I was thinking about the journal. _What did Zach know? Where were we even going?_ Suddenly we stopped and I noticed we were at my room.

"See you at breakfast." I whispered and slipped inside. I jumped in bed silently and tried to look I had been sleeping there soundly all night.

I'd been in my room for forty five seconds before the alarm went off. I groaned as if it had woken me from a deep sleep and rolled out of bed. Bex threw a pillow at the alarm and it fell on the floor and shut off. Macey sat up and starting brushing her hair and Liz turned her computer on. It was the normal routine, but I couldn't help but feel sad. I was going to miss them so much. They would hate me for leaving without telling them or letting them come, and even more when they found out I let Zach come, but it was for their safety. I couldn't let them get hurt for me, I just couldn't.

I went into the bathroom so they wouldn't notice I wasn't very cheerful this morning and start asking questions. As I closed the door and started to get ready for the day, I found a piece of paper in my pajama pant pocket. I pulled it out and unfolded it.

2:14 AM Departure Be Ready. Our tunnel. -Z


	4. Chapter 4

I was running. Running down the dark hallways, not making a sound, left here, right there. I heard the rumble of thunder in the distance and almost rolled my eyes. Of course Zach would choose the night it rained to run away.

I stopped outside the tunnel, took a deep breath, adjusted the backpack on my shoulder and went inside. Zach wasn't there yet so I set the bag down and waited. I looked out the window at the approaching storm. The sky was dark and eerie. The storm was moving fast down the sky, the clouds rumbling.

I remember watching storms when I was little, every time the lightning striked I would count till I heard thunder. The number I reached was how many miles away the storm was.

I saw lightning in the distance and began counting.

"One mississippi, two mississippi, three mississippi-"

Then the thunder rumbled. I sighed. My heart was pounding. I was nervous, but this was the right thing to do, right?

Another lightning strike.

"One mississippi, two mississi-"

Thunder rumbled again, louder then before. I looked at my watch, 2:14. Where was Zach? He was supposed to be here.

There was another lightning strike, but I didn't bother counting this time. I stared out the window, looking over the school grounds I had come to love. And was now leaving.

A pair of arms wound around my waist and I felt a chin come to rest on my shoulder.

"Hey Gallagher girl. Watcha watching?" Zach said, kissing my cheek.

"The storm. Any reason you chose this particular night? Someone watch the weather channel lately?" I said.

"Well I do love the theatrical appeal of running away in the rain." he smirked.

I laughed quietly and turned in his arms, facing him.

"I'm ready." I said starring into his emerald eyes.

"Come on." he said and grabbed my bag off the ground, putting it on his shoulder.

He held his hand out and I took it. There was a gleam in his eyes that assured me everything was okay for the time being. We left the passage and went to the end of the hall. There was a large window at the end and Zach started to open it.

"Zach, stop! It'll set the alarms off. We have to deactivate them." I said pulling him back.

"You lack of faith in me Gallagher girl is insulting. I have taken care of everything."

"Right. Sorry." I said and then helped him open the window. He pulled the harnesses out of his bag and handed me one. We suited up and Zach attached a pulley to me.

"Okay, you are first. We have nine minutes and thirty five seconds left before someone figures out the cameras are on loop. Once you get down there head towards the guard station by the gates. I'll catch up." he said tightening the ropes.

I nodded, put a comms unit in my ear, and climbed out the window. I repelled down the side of Gallagher avoiding windows and vents. It started raining lightly and I pulled my hood up.

When my feet touched the moist grass I unhook myself and tugged on the rope, letting Zach know I was down. He had seven minutes and fifteen seconds.

I took off running towards the guard tower. It started raining harder and my shoes sloshed in the puddles forming on the ground. I was halfway to the tower and I started to scrutinize my options. There was one guard on duty. And rather then slapping a napotine patch on his forehead, I slipped passed him in the shadows when he was turned away. I was trusting Zach to have every camera on the grounds on loop.

I hopped over the two foot wall surrounding the guard station and hid in the bushes waiting for Zach. He appeared twenty three seconds later and took my hand leading me deeper into the bushes and trees. He pushed back several bushes to reveal the stone wall that surrounded the entire property. He pulled a tube of cream out of his pocket and lathered a thick layer of it on the grout between several stones.

In seconds the cement disintegrated and Zach easily removed the stones, creating a hole in wall big enough for us to fit through. We slipped through and he put the stones back.

Then he took my hand and we ran toward town. The rain was pounding down on us, soaking everything I was wearing. I took my jacket off because it was no longer of use it was so wet and stuffed it in my backpack.

We stopped at the park and Zach took a pair of keys out of his pocket.

"What are those?" I had to practically yell over the rain.

"Exactly what they look like." He answered back.

"I meant, what do they belong to?"

He just smirked and pulled me to the park's parking lot.

There was a shiny black motorcycle sitting in the lot with two helmets.

"A motorcycle? Seriously?" I gaped.

"Yep. Let's go, we have three minutes until the alarms are activated and they come looking."

He threw me a helmet, straddled the bike and patted the seat behind him. I sighed and put the helmet on sitting behind him. I wrapped my arms around him and held on tight as he put the bike in gear and we sped down the road. Rain and wind pelted me in the face and I leaned into Zach's back more shielding myself. We got onto the highway and I was sure we were speeding. In the distance I could hear a faint alarm and I knew Gallagher was probably chaos right now. But that was no longer my concern.

I tightened my grip around Zach's waist and watched as the road signs flew by and city lights appeared in the distance.

This is it. Time to find answers


	5. Chapter 5

**Sorry it's taken me a while to update! I don't have a very good excuse except that my life has been crazy busy lately! So here it is…..**

**Chapter Five**

We have been driving for hours and I didn't even know where we were going. So far all I knew is that we have been heading west for twelve hours and thirty eight minutes now and we were in the middle of Missouri. We had driven out of the rain and now it was just dark and gloomy. My eyes were finding it hard to stay open but I knew sleeping on the back of a motorcycle going 85 mph probably wasn't the greatest idea. We haven't stopped since Zach's bike was specially made by Jonas and could go forever without refueling.

I smiled when Zach finally took an off ramp even when though we were in the middle of nowhere. We continued down a dirt road for twenty more minutes and turned right. There was a medium sized cabin sitting amongst the thick trees. It was nice and well maintained and a huge lake sprawled out behind it. Zach pulled into the driveway and parked the bike. I yawned and got off, stretching my legs.

"Where are we?" I asked.

"Safe house." Zach said walking up to the door and unlocking it. I followed him into the cabin and looked around. There was a kitchen, two bedrooms and a living room. It was small and cozy on the inside.

"Whose safe house is this?" I asked and threw my backpack onto a couch.

"Mine. Every since I found out my mom was part of the Circle I have been planning for something like this. Of course, I always figured it'd be Grant or Jonas coming along, but I guess I am stuck with you." He said teasingly, flashing me a smirk. I stayed quiet. He has been planning this since his mom became part of the COC? But that was like his whole life! I looked at Zach. He seemed deep in thought and his eyes didn't have the same glimmer in them. I felt bad and changed the subject.

"So what's the plan? Where are we? What are we doing? And what was in Solomon's journal?" I asked. Zach sighed and slumped down on a couch. I sat across from him.

"We are in Missouri at my safe house till we decide what exactly we want to do. I have several options. We want answers and the best way to achieve that is breaking into headquarters and stealing files. Then we can go from there based on what the files say. How's that for a plan?" He smirked.

"Good. Where is headquarters?" I slouched farther into the couch and yawned.

"I know of several bases, but I am not sure which one is headquarters. We will have to do surveillance and decide. It'll be too risky to break into all of them."

I nodded and thought for a second.

"Where is the closet base?"

Zach paused and took a deep breath.

"Nebraska." He said looking at me intently.

"Nebraska? As in where I'm from?" I asked cautiously. Not sure if I wanted to know the answer.

"As in your home town." Zach said. His face was blank, a mask, but I could detect a little concern or worry in his eyes.

"The COC base is in my home town? Where I used to spend my summers? Where my grandparents live on their ranch?" I asked shocked. I was wondering how new this base was. My mom would have never allowed me to stay at my grandparents if they knew about it - which would explain why I hadn't stayed with them this summer.

"It's 11.2 miles from their ranch actually." He muttered looking at his hands. I was so shocked I couldn't speak for a minute. My mind was racing. Were my grandparents safe? Was my hometown safe? I was still putting people I loved in danger and hadn't even know it!

I took a deep breath and composed myself though.

"What was in Solomon's journal?" I asked trying to keep calm.

"Places to stay, the bases locations, some things about the Circle."

I nodded, still absorbing everything I had just heard. Zach sighed.

"Look, why don't we just eat something and go to sleep. We can discuss everything tomorrow."

But I was no longer tired. I was thinking of plans and ideas left and right.

"No, let's discuss them now." I said firmly.

"Gallagher girl, it's been a long day. We haven't slept for almost 48 hours and I haven't eaten for half that."

"Fine, eat while you explain." I crossed my arms stubbornly. Zach shrugged and got up and made himself some microwave noodles. I sat at the kitchen table and waited patiently. I noticed a door on the far wall and wondered what it was. It was too big and oddly placed to be a closet, so it had to be a room. Maybe a garage? I pondered this till Zach sat down with two bowls and handed one to me.

"I say we leave in the morning for Nebraska. The sooner, the better." I said taking a small bite of noodles.

"Good idea. What did you take from Liz?" Zach asked while stuffing his face.

"Comm units, napotine patches, an untraceable laptop, and other little gadgets." I replied. "But that's not important, what we need to decide is how to get in the base. And if it's not headquarters, where is headquarters?"

"Let's just do one thing at a time. We need to find a place to stay in Nebraska because I don't have a safe house there. I didn't even know about the base till I read Solomon's journal, so it wasn't part of the original plan." Zach said finished his dinner. I hadn't really touched mine yet. I was so concentrated on the Circle and how we were going to do this.

"We'll stay at my grandparents'. The Circle will think that is the last place we would be, especially together. And my grandparents won't be able to contact my mother because Mom doesn't have a regular cell phone or email. They always write letters to one another. And by the time grandma gets a letter written, sent and my mom receives it, we will be gone."

I felt proud of myself. I was finally helping on this mission.

"Sounds good. Now, can I go to bed now?" Zach smirked.

"Fine." I muttered. Zach started to get up but paused.

"I know it's only microwave noodles, but they really aren't that bad." he said motioning to my barely touched dinner.

"No, it was good. I'm just not that hungry." I said.

"Come on, Gallagher girl. You haven't eaten since dinner yesterday. You have to be hungry."

I shook my head and handed him my bowl. He handed it back and I pushed it away.

"I'm really not that hungry. I have too much on my mind." I said. Zach looked at me and gave up.

"Fine, but you have to help me clean up." I looked at the kitchen and my mouth gaped. How could one person making microwave noodles make such a mess. It looked as if we had made Thanksgiving dinner for thirty people! I sighed and grabbed a towel.

Zach and I were putting the dishes away when I thought I heard the crunch of a car driving slowly down the gravel road. I set down the plate I was drying and walked quietly to the living room. The lights were already off and the blinds were closed since we were getting ready for bed. I tiptoed toward the windows and cracked the blinds just a little. Sure enough I saw car lights headed toward the house. They were driving slowly, as if trying to be quiet. _News flash-you're failing,_ I thought. I felt my heart beat quicken and my hands were growing sweaty. I turned around to find Zach coming into the living room. He looked at me questionably.

"Someone's coming." I whispered, motioning to the window. Zach suddenly became very stiff and alert, just as the cars lights went through the blinds and went the wall behind us. He didn't watch the car come any closer.

"Grab your stuff. Be at the back door in two minutes." He whispered shouted before turning and cleaning the place as if no one had been here. I gathered our backpacks and met Zach at the door. He had a pair of keys in his hand and I began wondering how we were getting out of here. They weren't the keys to the bike.

He opened the door but waited.

"We should wait till they come in the house. Then they won't hear or see us running."

I nodded and waited nervously.

We heard car doors shut and three people crept toward the front door. There was a loud bang and the door hit the wall of the entry way.

Zach grabbed my hand and we ran towards the lake. The moon was reflecting off the water's surface and under different circumstances I couldn't help but feel how romantic it could be.

I snapped out of it when I heard a man shouting. We were more than halfway to the lake and a flashlight fell upon us.

"There they are. Get them!" The man shouted from the backdoor way. I sped up as they came tumbling down the hill after us. We made it to the lake and Zach weaved us through bushes and trees until we came to a stop at a small dock. There was a wave runner and a boat floating in the water and I knew this was our escape.

Zach jumped on the wave runner and put the key in the ignition. It beeped to life and I got on behind him. I wrapped my arms around his waist, water flowing at my feet, and looked behind us a Zach sped off. The men were in the boat now hot-wiring it.

"What do we do?" I asked. "They can't just chase around the lake and they'll follow us on land."

Zach didn't answer, I could tell he was trying to formulate a plan.

The men had hotwired the boat and were on our tail now. My arms tightened around Zach's body tense.

I watched as one of the men pulled out a lighter.

"Zach, they are lighting a bomb." I said in his ear over the roar of the boat.

We both turned to look as he threw the bomb at us. It overshot and landed in the water directly in front of us. With barely had enough time to steer clear of it, Zach handed me an air-breathing device and I put it in my mouth. Then he gently pushed me off the wave runner just before the bomb went off. The cold water engulfed me and I watched as the wave runner went up in flames. The explosion caused the lake water to churn and tumble and I got caught in the current. My head hit something jagged and my world went black.


End file.
